It looks like if you want to get the hottest devices quick, DiGi is your telco. They were the first to start pre-orders for the HTC One and this Saturday (April 20) you can start pre-ordering the Samsung Galaxy S4 probably with a 24 months DG Smart Plan bundle.

Expect details on pricing and model variants details to be revealed on the same day. This also means that the Galaxy S4 launch in Malaysia is happening real soon, possibly within this month. It’s very likely that the Galaxy S4 will go on sale earlier than the HTC One.

Depending on the variant, the Galaxy S4 packs either a 1.6GHz Octa-Core Exynos processor (non-LTE) or a quad-core 1.9GHz Qualcomm processor (LTE Variant). Both versions get 2GB of RAM, a full HD (1920×1080) 5-inch Super AMOLED display with a whopping 440ppi pixel density, a 13MP rear camera, a 2MP front shooter and a fairly generous 2,600mAh battery. Dimension wise, the Galaxy S4 exactly the same height as the Galaxy S III but the new model is narrower, thinner and lighter. You can compare the Galaxy S4 with its closest competitors right here.

At the moment, those who are interested may register their interest over at DiGi but we don’t see much of a point doing it since pre-orders start on Saturday anyway.

Samsung has released several commercials of its flagship Galaxy S4. Instead of battling out in terms of hardware specs, the ads continued its focus on its unique features such as Sound Shout, Group Play and S Translator.

In terms of availability, the Galaxy S4 is expected to be launched in Malaysia pretty soon as it was recently spotted on Sirim’s approval list. From this new discovery, it looks like we are getting the GT-i9500 version that comes with a Octa Core Exynos processor.

Its close rival HTC One too is expected to debut around the same time as well and it would be interesting to see which smart phone will launch first.

The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S4 touch screen display supports Air Gestures and it even recognises touches while wearing gloves. To find out if it can do much more than that, PhoneArena has explored various materials. The Samsung Galaxy S4 touch screen display appears to be able to detect touches from metal and even a bottle of yogurt that looks like plastic.

Some might cringe at the thought of using metallic objects on the display but the risk of scratching it badly should be minimal thanks to its Gorilla Glass 3 protection. Watch the touch screen test of the Galaxy S4 after the break.

Samsung makes two main version of the Galaxy S 4 for different markets. One packs a 1.6Ghz Exynos 5 Octa-Core processor (two quad-core processors running in sequence. One set for low load processing to conserve energy and the other for high load processing for maximum performance) and the other sports a more conventional yet still fast 1.9GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon processor, both versions will get 2GB of RAM and a choice of either 16GB/32GB/64GB of storage with MicroSD expansion.

So which version will come to Malaysia?

If this list revealed by SamMobile is accurate, we might get both versions with the possibility of the Octa-Core unit having 3G connectivity and the quad-core packing some 4G heat, and it’s very likely that both versions will have 16GB of on-board storage.

If you’re wondering:
GT-I9500 = Exynos
GT-I9505 = Snapdragon

What about availability?

The Galaxy S 4 will represent another important and major milestone for Samsung in Malaysia, and naturally reps are tight-lipped on when the device will released here but we’ve been seeing some frantic activity to know that Samsung Malaysia is hard at work to have the Galaxy S 4 in Malaysian stores as soon as possible. If we have to guestimate, things will happen before June, maybe even as early as mid April.

And the price?

Expect the Galaxy S 4 to sell for around the same money as the Galaxy S III when it was launched last year — that’s around RM2,200.

And…that’s pretty much it for now. We’ll share details once we get them. Thanks for dropping by.

Samsung has finally released its 4 minute product video of the newly revealedSamsung Galaxy S 4. While the hardware bit looks impressive, the key difference lies in its smart features such as Group Play, Sound & Shot, S Voice Drive, Dual Shot, Dual Recording & etc which is demonstrated in the video above.

In addition to that, the Galaxy S 4 includes of a couple of gestures and eye-tracking features such as Smart Scroll, Smart Pause, Air Gesture and AirView which lets you hover through the screen with your fingers like a S-Pen. Would these features be something you’ll use on a day to day basis?

The Samsung Galaxy S 4 which was just revealed looks underwhelmingly the same as the older Galaxy S III. During the Unpacked event, the main highlight was on its smart features on camera, voice commands, hand gestures and eye tracking.

With the hardware specs put side by side with other models including the latest Full HD Androids, iPhone 5, Lumia 920 and Z10, we noticed that there have been some improvements on the S 4’s dimensions.

While the Galaxy S 4 boasts a bigger Full HD screen at 5″, the height remains exactly the same as the current Galaxy S III at 136.6mm while at the same time, they have narrowed the width at just 69.8mm. The battery on the S 4 has been upgraded as well to 2,600mAh which is 300mAh 500mAh more than the old one but yet it is slimmer at 7.9mm and lighter at 130g. This means that the S 4 should be easier to hold in the hands.

While display is an improvement, being the first Full HD smart phone from Samsung, it loses out in terms of pixel density to HTC One, due to its smaller 4.7″ screen. In reality, at over 400ppi, it is really hard to differentiate which display has higher pixel density. All matters now would be the display quality especially viewing angles, brightness and contrast.

One obvious advantage which the Galaxy S 4 has over the likes of HTC One and Xperia Z would be its removable 2,600mAh battery. If we put the dimensions side by side, the Galaxy S 4 is actually shorter than the 4.7″ HTC One and it is just as slim as the Xperia Z’s 7.9mm thickness. Even with its extra 300mAh battery capacity, the Galaxy S 4 is at least 13 grams lighter as well which is rather impressive. For those that prefer the thinnest, lightest and shortest, the iPhone 5 is no contest at all with its super slim 7.6mm thickness and weighs just 112 grams.

So far Samsung hasn’t reveal much details on the variants available and based on their official spec sheet, there will be 2 models available. One will be running on a Quad Core 1.9GHz processor while the other on a Octa Core 1.6GHz processor. We are likely to get the Octa Core version in Malaysia. In terms of 4G LTE connectivity, only the Quad Core version supports it at the moment.

Edit: As pointed out by reader min402, the Octa-Core set up in the Galaxy S 4 doesn’t mean all 8 cores are running simultaneously. Rather it has a dual set up of either Quad-Core A15 and Quad-Core A7 which switches depending on intensity of processing required.

In terms of OS version, the Galaxy S 4 runs the very latest Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. Availability wise, Samsung has shared that it will be launching with 327 operators in 155 countries by end of April.

The Samsung has just revealed its Galaxy S 4, its new flagship for 2013. Launched just 10 months from last year’s flagship Galaxy S III, the new S 4 looks pretty much the same with its Nature inspired look and comes in 2 colours – Black Frost and White Mist. Now it makes more sense when Jeremy said it is his favourite colour, refering to his Oreo biscuits.

As you would expect, the Galaxy S 4 comes packed with top notch hardware such as a new 1.6Ghz Octo-Core (8 cores) processor or a 1.9GHz Quad-Core processor (depending on region) which is mated with 2GB of RAM and a choice of either 16GB/32GB/64GB. Us folks in Malaysia would likely to get the Octa-Core 16GB version which can be expanded using microSD.

With Full HD being the rage right now, the Galaxy S 4 comes with a Full HD Super AMOLED display that pushes a resolution of 1920×1080. This gives a rather dense 440ppi (pixels per inch), not the highest currently but it is toughen with Gorilla Glass 3. In addition, the S 4 supports AirView where you can interact with the screen by merely hovering your finger across the glass which is similar to the Floating Touch technology found on the Xperia sola. This also allows the Galaxy S 4 to be usable even while wearing gloves.

The cameras have been upgraded as well and this time they have thrown in a 13MP shooter with Zero Shutter Lag. During the Unpacked event, Samsung has stayed away from emphasizing on the hardware but have put more focus on its software capabilities. New on the Galaxy S 4 is a Dual Camera capabilities where you can record videos with both front and rear cameras. This is rather similar to the LG Optimus G Pro which we have previewed at MWC 2013.

On the Galaxy Note II, Samsung had introduced Photo Notes where you can write additional captions after the shot is taken. Now on the new Galaxy S 4, there’s Sound & Shot which lets you record audio notes before taking a picture. In addition, there are other new features such as Drama Shot and Eraser tool which lets you manipulate Burst shots more extensively.